JAZZ.FM91, Canada’s premiere 24/7 jazz radio station, has been honoured with a “Special Recognition Award” in recognition of it’s “incalculable impact on raising the profile for jazz in Canada, advancing the field through support of jazz education, and establishing a solid business model to which other jazz stations throughout North America can aspire”.

The award comes from IAJE, or the International Association for Jazz Education, and was presented by international IAJE officers Bill McFarlin, Executive Director and Chuck Owen, President, who were in Toronto to
present the Special Recognition Award during last week’s third annual Jazz Lives event at Convocation Hall.

Jazz Lives featured a headline roster leading jazz performers lending their support for JAZZ.FM91, Canada’s only not-for-profit radio station dedicated to jazz and all of its communities of interest. The Jazz Lives concept was originally created by Ross Porter to spotlight some of the brilliant jazz musicians whose careers are promoted and their music featured on the station, at the same time as it generates funding critical to the current and future wellbeing of the broadcaster.

Throughout the evening, Porter made several cheque presentations sharing the proceeds generated to benefit the international jazz community — a contribution to the New Orleans local of the American Federation of Musicians to aid in the rebuilding process following Hurricane Katrina; $5,000 presented to Russ Little, President, on behalf of the Toronto Musicians’ Association to benefit regional musicians in times of adversity; and $5,000 to Paul Read, Canadian IAJE Board Member, to provide assistance to students living in distressed neighbourhoods of Toronto to participate in music programs. Porter also accorded special recognition to this year’s event sponsors.